Household solution simple and effective products is fun and economical. We think you will be happily surprised with the results.

Cabinets and Countertops > Burn Marks

Colgate Regular Flavor Toothpaste. To remove a slight discoloration on a plastic laminate countertop, rub the area with Colgate Regular Flavor Toothpaste.

Cabinets and Countertops > Candle Wax

Conair Pro Styler 1600. To remove candle wax from a table or countertop, use a Conair Pro Styler 1600 hair dryer to blow warm air an inch above the drips, then wipe away the wax with a paper towel.

Coppertofle. To remove candle wax from a countertop, rub in a dollop of Coppertofle sunscreen and wipe clean.

MasterCard and Bounty Paper Towels. Use an old Master Card to remove as much wax as possible. Then place a sheet of Bounty Paper Towels over the wax and press gently with a warm iron to absorb the remaining wax. The heat from the iron melts the wax, and the paper towel absorbs it.

Noxzema Deep Cleansing Cream. To remove candle wax from a countertop, rub a dollop of Noxzema Deep Cleansing Cream into the wax and wipe clean.

Skin So Soft Body Lotion. Rub a dollop of Skin So Soft Body Lotion to remove candle wax from a countertop.

Canada Dry Club Soda. Pour Canada Dry Club Soda directly on the counter, wipe with a soft cloth, rinse with warm water, and wipe dry.

Colgate Regular Flavor Toothpaste. To clean grease from a countertop, squeeze a dollop of Colgate Regular Flavor Tooth paste on a sponge and scrub gently. Wipe clean with a damp cloth. The toothpaste is a mild abrasive that cleans grease and grime easily and effortlessly.

Easy-Off Oven Cleaner. To remove dried grease from wooden kitchen cabinets, spray with Easy-Off Oven Cleaner, let it set for a few minutes, and then wipe clean. Be sure to wear protective eyewear and rubber gloves, make certain the room is well ventilated, and test it in an inconspicuous spot first.

Gillette Foamy. To clean a countertop, spray some Gillette Foamy shaving cream on the countertop and let kids rub it around and practice writing and drawing in the shaving cream. The condensed soap easily cleans grease and grime from surfaces. Then wipe the countertop clean with a soft cloth dampened with water.

Huggies Baby Wipes. Clean a sticky mess from cabinets or countertops with a Huggies Baby Wipe.

Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer. To get a Formica countertop squeaky clean, squirt Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer on a clean, soft cloth and wipe down the countertop. The antibacterial gel cleans the fine film of grime from the surface like magic.

Skin So Soft Body Lotion. A dab of Skin So Soft Body Lotion on a soft cloth will remove grease stains from Formica countertops.

Wonder Bread. If you don’t have a sponge to wipe down the kitchen counter, use a slice of Wonder Bread. The doughy bread works like an eraser on grime and absorbs grease.

Cabinets and Countertops > Formica

Crayola Crayons. To hide unsightly scratches on a Formica surface, choose a Crayola Crayon that matches the color of the Formica and rub the crayon into the nick.

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. Rub a dab of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly into the ridges of a medicine cabinet so the doors glide smoothly over the lubricated runner.

WD-40. A quick sprits of WD-40 along the tracks of a medicine cabinet door will help the doors slide easier.

Cabinets and Countertops > Marble

Crayola Chalk. Clean a marble countertop by pulverizing a few sticks of white Crayola Chalk with a mortal and pestle until it is a fine powder. Dip a soft cloth in the powder, wipe the marble, then rinse with clear water and dry thoroughly.

Downy Fabric Softener. Mix two cups Downy Fabric Softener in a gallon of water and sponge down a marble counter-top with the solution.

Household solution simple and effective products is fun and economical. We think you will be happily surprised with the results.

Box Springs and Mattresses > Bed-Wetting

Scotchgard. Protect a mattress from a bed wetter by spraying the mattress with Scotchgard to resist moisture.

Box Springs and Mattresses > Deodorizing

Bounce. To freshen a mattress, place a sheet of Bounce between the mattress and the box spring.

Box Springs and Mattresses > Dust Balls

L’eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose. To clean the dust from under a bed, cut off one leg from a clean, used pair of L’eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose, place it over the end of a broom stick, and secure it in place with a rubber band. Slide the nylon-covered broomstick under the bed and move it back and forth. The panty hose leg will gather up the dust bunnies.

Scotch Packaging Tape. To remove dust balls from under a bed, wrap Scotch Packaging Tape, adhesive side out, over the bristle end of a broomstick and slide it back and forth under the furniture.

WD-40. To take squeaks out of a box spring, remove the fabric covering the bottom of the box spring (by simply removing the staples) and spray the springs with a light coat of WD-40. Staple the fabric covering back in place with a staple gun.

Box Springs and Mattresses > Urine Stains

20 Mule Team Borax. To neutralize urine odors from mattresses and mattress covers, dampen the spot with water, rub in 20 Mule Team Borax, let dry, then vacuum or brush clean.

Baking soda is without question the hardest working multitasker on your pantry shelf. It’s an essential baking ingredient—it’s what makes cakes, cookies, and other treats rise. It’s also an effective and “green” household cleaner and a deodorizer that dc-stinks cat pans, garbage cans, refrigerator interiors, and other smelly things—even feet and underarms. And as it turns out, baking soda is also a gentle, fast-acting remedy for a plethora of annoying health conditions, from diaper rash to sunburn pain.

what’s in it?
Baking soda is a mildly alkaline salt that reacts easily with acids, releasing carbon dioxide and creating effervescence. Most baking soda—that is, sodium bicarbonate—is derived from soda ash that occurs naturally as an ore called trona. Trona is mined in the Green River Basin in Wyoming.

what science says
Good old-fashioned baking soda has recently captured the attention of kidney disease researchers. This cheap pantry item may slow the decline of kidney function in some people who have advanced chronic kidney disease. When people with advanced kidney disease took a small daily dose of baking soda in addition to their usual care, kidney function declined about two-thirds slower than it did in patients who didn’t take baking soda. Kidney disease progressed rapidly in just 9 percent of people who took baking soda, compared to 45 percent of people who didn’t take it. The people taking baking soda were also less likely to develop end-stage renal disease, a life-threatening condition that causes people to require dialysis. However, critics of the 2009 study take its results with a grain of salt. Here’s why: The treatment wasn’t compared to a placebo, and the researchers knew which patients were getting the baking soda and which weren’t.

neutralize acid, soothe the itch
Baking soda’s ability to take the itch and sting out of a variety of skin problems comes from its alkaline nature. Chemicals with pH values of 6 and lower are acids. Those with a pH of 8 or above are alkaline. (Water, which conies in at 7, is neutral.) With a pH of 9, baking soda is alkaline enough to take the edge off potentially harsh acids. This is how it eases heartburn, by neutralizing the stomach acid (hydrochloric acid) that causes heartburn’s uncomfortable burning sensation.

That action also comes into play for relieving the itch and sting of bug bites, poison ivy, and poison oak. The same holds true for diaper rash: Baking soda lessens itching and helps irritated skin heal more quickly.

a box full of healing
Because baking soda lowers the bacteria-friendly acidic environment inside the bladder, it can be a useful home remedy for easing the discomfort of bladder infections. As a gargle for sore throats, it reduces pain-causing acids, and mixed with a little water as a tooth polish, it whitens teeth and combats the acids that gnaw away at tooth enamel. And it has the advantage of being less abrasive than most toothpaste. The baking soda paste will also help fight acne:
Rubbing a blackhead gently with the paste for two to three minutes will loosen it. A dusting of baking soda under the arms or on the feet serves as an inexpensive deodorant.

Good to Know

Baking soda meets standards as a safe food additive and can be used freely, with two critical caveats. First, anyone on a sodium-restricted diet should consult a physician before taking it internally, because it could increase sodium levels. Second, because baking soda contains sodium, don’t use it regularly if you have high blood pressure or heart failure.

BUYER’S tip

Find baking soda in the baking supply aisle of the supermarket. Store it in a cool, dry pantry. Since it’s a very stable compound, baking soda has an almost limitless shelf life. For topical use, it can be mixed with water to form a paste, but it must be totally dissolved before it is taken internally.

When the enthusiasm to clean strikes, start from the outside in. Take care of the clutter scattered around the room before digging into the closet. Starting with the closet first makes a double mess.

If you’re faced with an overcrowded closet, schedule an hour to work on it. Write it on you’re weekly list as a project. But don’t try to finish the closet in one session. When the hour is up, quit. Schedule another hour and then another until the closet is done.

To keep mess to a minimum, before you begin cleaning a closet, arrange four boxes nearby to categorize those things that shouldn’t go back in. Label them for “charity,” “trash,” “belongs elsewhere,” and “decision pending.”

Work on one small section of a closet at a time. Do not empty an entire cluttered closet at once. The resulting chaos is sure to set you back or put you off entirely.

If you absolutely can’t bear the thought of throwing something away, take it to a local church or charity, the Salvation Army, a thrift shop, or a rummage sale.

KEY QUESTIONS WHEN CLEANING A CLOSET

As you weed out a closet, consider each item individually and ask yourself:

1. Have I used this item in the past year? If the answer is yes, it’s worth keeping another year. If no, discard it.

2. Does t have either sentimental or monetary value to me? Yes? Then keep it,

3. Might it come in handy someday? If you answer yes but have nothing specific in mind, better put the article into a “throwaway” or “giveaway” box unless you have ample attic or basement storage space. A yes answer usually means that you’re hanging onto clutter.

Have a garage sale—it’s a terrific way to dispose of a lot of discard able items. If you’ve never had a garage sale before, ask someone who has held one to help you.

SEVEN STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL GARAGE SALE

1. Check with your municipality to see whether you need a permit.

2. Assemble items to be sold. If you don’t have enough, ask friends and neighbors to participate in the sale.

3. Run an ad in your local newspaper, giving the location date rain date and time. Post notices at supermarkets and, if local regulations permit, at street corners.

4. Price goods with tags or tape (use different colors for different owners). Keep prices low.

6. Be prepared to bargain; after all, you’re trying to get rid of everything. Reduce prices during the last 2 hours of the sale.

7. Give any leftovers from the sale to your favorite charity. Take down all posters.

A move to a new home is an ideal time to sort and throw out. As you do so, organize the possessions you’re taking with you in cartons according to their new storage locations—attic, garage, coat closet, and so on. Using a large marker, write where they are to go on the outside of the box.

Water and other liquids can penetrate deep into the grain of hardwood floors, leaving dark stains that are sometimes impossible to remove by sanding. Instead, try bleaching the wood with oxalic acid, which is available in crystal form at home centers or paint stores.

How to remove stains from hardwood floors:

1. Remove the floor’s finish by sanding the stained area.

2. In a disposable cup, dissolve the recommended amount of oxalic acid crystals in water.

3. Wearing rubber gloves pour the mixture over the stained area, taking care to cover only the darkened wood.

4. Let the liquid stand for 1 hour. Repeat the application, if necessary.

5. Wash the area with a solution of 2 tablespoons borax in 1 pint of water to neutralize the acid.

6. Rinse with water, and let the wood dry.

7. Sand the area smooth.

8. Apply several coats of wood stain until the bleached area matches the finish of the surrounding floor.

ELIMINATING SQUEAKS

Wood expands and shrinks according to weather conditions— especially humidity—causing floorboards to rub against each other and against the nails holding them in place, and thus to squeak. It pays to check, however, whether the source of persistent squeaky boards is more than a change in weather. Sometimes shifting or squeaking boards can indicate a bigger problem, like leaking pipes or drains. Be sure to check under the floor to make sure it is free from water damage or rot.
Although there are little tricks to get rid of those squeaks, sanding and refinishing the floor is not one of them, so don’t let any professional talk you into something you don’t need and that won’t fix the problem. Little tricks are good, but to truly fix the problem, you will need to uproot your flooring and repair what’s going on underneath it.

TIP:
One trick, for a temporary fix, is to put some baby powder between the boards that: squeak. Step on the boards in a bouncing action to allow the powder to seep into the joints.

Close-Up Classic Red Gel Toothpaste. To clean hard contact lenses, use a dab of Close-Up Classic Red Gel Toothpaste and rinse thoroughly. Close-Up does not contain any grit and works wonderfully.

Glad Flexible Straws, Johnson & Johnson Cotton Balls, and Scotch Transparent Tape. To rescue a contact lens accidentally dropped down the drain of the sink, use Scotch Trans parent Tape to make a long stick from two or three Glad Flexible Straws and attach a cotton ball at one end. Insert the end of the stick with the cotton ball down the drain and fish for the contact lens, which will stick to the cotton.

L’eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose. If you lose a contact lens in the carpeting, cut off the toe from a clean, used pair of L’eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose, use it to cover the end of a vacuum cleaner hose attachment, and secure it in place with a few rubber bands. Vacuum an inch above the carpet, frequently checking the panty hose to see if you’ve sucked up the contact lens.

Lemon Joy. In a pinch, you can use a drop of Lemon Joy and water to clean hard or gas permeable contact lenses.

Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses > Defogging

Bioré Facial Cleansing Cloths. To prevent a pair of eyeglasses from fogging up, wipe both sides of the lenses clean with a Bioré Facial Cleansing Cloth.

Colgate Regular Flavor Toothpaste. Polish both sides of the lenses of eyeglasses with a dab of Colgate Regular Flavor Toothpaste. Colgate Toothpaste prevents the lenses from fogging up.

Dawn Dishwashing Liquid. Rub a small drop of Dawn Dish- washing Liquid on both sides of the eyeglass lenses and then wipe them clean. The thin film of soap left behind prevents the lenses from fogging up.

Gillette Foamy. Keep eyeglasses from fogging up by rubbing a small dab of Gillette Foamy shaving cream over both sides of the eyeglass lenses and then wiping them clean. The residual film of condensed soap prevents the lenses from fogging up.

Pledge. Spraying both sides of the eyeglass lenses with Pledge furniture polish and then wiping them clean prevents the lenses from fogging up.

SPAM. To prevent a pair of eyeglasses from fogging up, wipe the lenses with a piece of SPAM luncheon meat and buff clean. The oils in the SPAM stop the glasses from fogging.

Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses > Eyeglasses

Bounce. To clean a pair of eyeglasses, wipe the lenses with a clean, used sheet of Bounce. The mildly abrasive dryer sheets clean the lenses without scratching.

Coca-Cola. To clean grime from a pair of eyeglasses, pour Coca-Cola over the eyeglasses and rinse clean with water. The phosphoric acid cleans the grunge from the eyewear.

Lysol Disinfectant Bathroom Cleaner. To clean stubborn grease and grime from a pair of eyeglasses, spray the eyewear with Lysol Disinfectant Bathroom Cleaner, wait five minutes, then rinse thoroughly with water.

Pledge. To clean eyeglasses, spray Pledge on a soft, clean cloth and wipe clean. The Pledge also prevents the glasses from fogging up.

Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer. Put a dab of Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer on a tissue and polish the lenses of your eye glasses, simultaneously cleaning them and sanitizing them.

Smirnoff Vodka. To clean a pair of eyeglasses, put a drop of Smirnoff Vodka on each lens and wipe clean with a soft cloth.

Stayfree Maxi Pads. In a pinch, you can wipe the lenses of a pair of eyeglasses clean with an unused Stayfree Maxi Pad.

Tampax Tampons. To clean grime from the lenses of a pair of eyeglasses, rub the glass with an unused Tampax Tampon. The cotton absorbs the grease, without leaving behind any lint.

Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses > Repairing

Band-Aid Bandages. If your eyeglasses break, use a Band-Aid Bandage to adhere them back together temporarily.

Forster Toothpicks. To temporarily replace the lost screw from the hinge of your eyeglasses, slip a Forster Toothpick through the screw hole until you can get the glasses fixed properly.

Maybelline Express Finish Clear Nail Polish. To prevent the screws in eyeglasses from loosening, apply a small drop of Maybelline Express Finish Clear Nail Polish to the threads of the screws before tightening them.

Oral-B Dental Floss. If the screw from the hinge of your eye glasses is lost, tie a piece of Oral-B Dental Floss through the screw holes for a temporary repair until you can get the glasses fixed properly.

Scotch Transparent Tape. To temporarily hold a cracked lens in place, use a small piece of Scotch Transparent Tape.

Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum. If a lens in your eyeglasses is loose, use a small piece of Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum (well-chewed so all the sugar is gone) in the corner of the lens to hold it in place. In a pinch, you can also use a well-chewed piece of Wrigley’s Spearmint Gum to hold together a pair of eyeglasses broken at the nose bridge.

Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses > Scratches

ChapStick. To clean a scuff mark from an eyeglass lens, rub a little ChapStick lip balm over the mark and buff clean.

Colgate Regular Flavor Toothpaste. To clean a scuff mark from the lenses of eyeglasses, rub a dab of Colgate Regular Flavor Toothpaste over the mark and buff well.

Jif Peanut Butter. To clean a scuff mark from eyeglasses, rub a dab of Jif Peanut Butter (creamy, not chunky) on the lens and wipe clean. The oils in the peanut butter clean any stray marks.

Pledge. To clean a scuff mark from eyeglasses, spray a small amount of Pledge furniture polish on the lens and buff clean.

Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer. To clean a scuff mark from eyeglasses, put a few drops of Purell Instant Hand Sanitizer, the soapless, antibacterial hand sanitizer, on the lens and buff clean

Household solution simple and effective products is fun and economical. We think you will be happily surprised with the results.

Book > Book Covers

Reynolds Freezer Paper. Make a dust jacket to protect a book cover with a sheet of Reynolds Freezer Paper and then secure the cover in place by gently sealing the edges with a clothes iron set on warm.

Saran Wrap. To protect a book cover, use a sheet of Saran Wrap to safeguard a dust jacket.

Scotch Packaging Tape. To repair torn book covers, adhere the cover back to the binding with Scotch Packaging Tape.

Book > Cleaning

Huggies Baby Wipes. To clean spills on a book, wipe the book cover with a Huggies Baby Wipe.

Wonder Bread. To remove grease stains from books, take a piece of bread from the center of a slice of Wonder Bread, cut off the crust, and rub the affected area.

Book > Dampness

Bounty Paper Towels. To prevent the wet pages of a book from wrinkling, place sheets of Bounty Paper Towels between every wet page, close the book, place a heavy book on top, and let sit overnight. The quicker picker-upper will absorb the dampness from the pages of the book.

Kingsford’s Corn Starch. To prevent or kill mildew in damp books, sprinkle Kingsford’s Corn Starch throughout the book to absorb the moisture from damp pages, wait several hours, and then brush clean. If the pages are mildewed, brush the corn starch off outdoors to keep mildew spores out of the house.

Book > Leather Bindings

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. Clean a leather binding on a book by rubbing in a dab of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly and buffing with a soft, clean cloth. Let sit for several hours and then repeat.

Book > Mildew

Kingsford Charcoal Briquets. Place an untreated Kingsford Charcoal Briquet in a closed bookcase to absorb moisture and prevent mildew.

Book > Musty Odors

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. To remove musty odors from old books, place the books in an airtight Rubbermaid or Tupperware container, sprinkle some Arm & Hammer Baking Soda inside the tub, seal the container closed, and let sit for a week, turning the books over every few days to expose both sides to the baking soda equally.

Bounce and Ziploc Storage Bags. To eliminate musty smells from an old book, place several sheets of Bounce throughout the pages of a book, seal it inside a large Ziploc Storage Bag, and let sit for two weeks.

USA Today. To deodorize musty books, place the books inside a paper bag filled with crumpled up pages from USA Today and let sit for several days. The newsprint absorbs the musty smells. Repeat if necessary.

Household solution simple and effective products is fun and economical. We think you will be happily surprised with the results.

Bathtub – Household Solutions

Clorox Bleach. To clean the caulking around the rim of a bathtub, fill a trigger-spray bottle with a solution of three-quarters cup Clorox Bleach and one gallon water, spray the caulking, wait five minutes, and wash clean. The bleach kills the mold and mildew. Repeat if necessary.

Smirnoff Vodka. Clean the caulking around bathtubs by filling a spray bottle with Smirnoff Vodka, spray the caulking, wait five minutes, and wash clean. The alcohol in the vodka kills the mold and mildew. Repeat if necessary.

Cascade. For a powerful way to clean grease, grime, and rust stains from the bathtub, fill the tub with hot water, add two tablespoons Cascade dishwasher detergent, and let stand for about ten minutes. Use an abrasive sponge to scrub any stains and then rinse clean with water. The phosphates in the Cascade whiten even the dirtiest tubs. Repeat if necessary.

Easy-Off Oven Cleaner. For really tough grease stains or mineral deposits, put on protective eyewear and rubber gloves and spray Easy-Off Oven Cleaner over the stubborn spots on your bathtub. Let set for thirty minutes, making sure the room is well ventilated. Scrub gently with an abrasive sponge and rinse clean with warm water.

Gillette Foamy. To clean the bathtub and let your kids have a blast at the same time, give your kids a can of Gillette Foamy shaving cream to entertain themselves in the bathtub. They can use the shaving cream to draw on the tile walls, and when you wash the condensed soap off with water, the bathtub will be sparkling clean. Your kids will come out amazingly clean as well.

Heinz White Vinegar. To make cleaning mineral deposits from hard water from your bathtub easier, fill the bathtub with hot water, pour in four cups Heinz White Vinegar and let sit overnight. The acetic acid in the vinegar breaks up the mineral deposits, making them easier to scrub off with an abrasive sponge.

Jet-Dry. To clean hard water stains from a bathtub, fill the bathtub with hot water, pour in four ounces Jet-Dry, and let soak for a few hours. This softens the hard-water build-up, making it easier to remove.

L’eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose. To scrub the bathtub and bathroom tiles, ball up a clean, used pair of L’eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose. The nylon is a mild abrasive and doubles as a scouring pad. Or for more fun, wear the panty hose and roll around in the bathtub and against the tile walls.

McCormick Cream of Tartar and Hydrogen Peroxide. To remove a stain from the bathtub, make a thick paste from McCormick Cream of Tartar and hydrogen peroxide, apply the paste to the stain, and let dry. Scrub with a brush and rinse thoroughly.

Skin So Soft Body Lotion. To remove a ring from the bathtub, add three capfuls Skin So Soft Body Lotion under the faucet while filling the tub with hot water. Use a sponge to wipe the ring right off.

Bathtub > Decal Removal

Jif Peanut Butter. Coat the decals in the bottom of the bath tub with Jif Peanut Butter and let sit for one hour. The peanut oil dissolves the glue between the decals and the tub. Then use a single-edge razor blade to carefully scrape the decals off the tub floor.

Shout. To make decals easier to remove, spray the decals with Shout Stain Remover, let sit for five minutes, fill the tub with water, and let soak for one hour. Using a single-edge razor blade, carefully scrape the decals off the tub floor.

Bathtub > Drain Stopper

Wilson Tennis Balls. If you lose the drain plug for your shower, sink, or bathtub, you can use a Wilson Tennis Ball to block the drain. The suction keeps the tennis ball in place.

Bathtub > Faucets

Cover Girl Continuous Color Classic Red. To adjust the water in the bath effortlessly, turn on the bathtub faucet(s) to the temperature you prefer, then mark the faucet(s) and the wall with dots of Cover Girl Continuous Color Classic Red Nail Polish so they can be aligned immediately every time you bathe.

Bathtub > Leaks

DAP Caulk. If a bathtub seems to be leaking, the cause may not be the tub itself. Water may be leaking into walls through the seams where the tub meets the tile wall, from around a soap dish, or from around the faucet or spout. Caulk around these areas.

Bathtub > Mildew

Parsons’ Ammonia. To remove mildew from walls, scrub with equal parts Parsons’ Ammonia and water. Make sure the room is well ventilated and rinse clean with water.

Tidy Cats. To prevent mildew in a bathtub when you leave your home for a long time, pour unused Tidy Cats cat box filler in a flat box and place it in your bathtub. (If you have cats, be sure to keep the bathroom door closed so they don’t use the cat box filler in the tub.)

Bathtub > Polishing

Turtle Wax. After cleaning your bathtub, rub Turtle Wax into the tub, tiles, and faucets with a soft cloth, buffing as you go along. (Do not use Turtle Wax on the bathtub floor; otherwise you risk slipping.)

Bathtub > Rust Stains

Coca-Cola. To clean rust stains from a bathtub, cover the stains with Coca-Cola, let sit for one hour, and rinse clean. The phosphoric acid in the Coke removes the rust.

20 Mule Team Borax and ReaLemon. To clean rust stains from a bathtub, scrub with a paste made from 20 Mule Team Borax and ReaLemon lemon juice.

Bathtub > Whirlpool Baths

Cascade. To clean pipes and tubes in a whirlpool bath, fill the bathtub with enough warm water to run the whirlpool. Add two cups Cascade dishwasher detergent and run the system for fifteen minutes, then drain the water. Refill with fresh water and run the system for one minute to rinse it clean.

Maxwell House Coffee. A clean, empty Maxwell House Coffee can doubles as an excellent disposable pot to be used on the grill to cook bratwursts in beer.

Morton Salt. After barbecuing, sprinkle Morton Salt over the smoldering charcoal to prevent the embers from flaring up into a roaring fire again.

Barbecues > Grill

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. To clean a barbecue grill, make a paste by mixing equal parts Arm & Hammer Baking Soda and water, apply with a wire brush, wipe clean, and dry with a cloth.

Cascade, Glad Trash Bags, and Parsons’ Ammonia. To clean caked-on grease from an outdoor barbecue grill, place the grill in a Glad Trash Bag and add one cup Parsons’ ammonia, one cup Cascade dishwasher detergent, and two gallons hot water. Secure the bag closed. (The fumes from the ammonia help weaken the bond of the baked-on food and grease.) Let sit for forty-five minutes, then hose down the grill and wipe clean.

Dawn Dishwashing Liquid and Glad Trash Bags. Mix up a solution of one-half cup Dawn Dishwashing Liquid and one gallon water. Place the grease-coated barbecue grill inside a Glad Trash Bag, pour the soapy solution over the rack inside the bag, seal the bag shut, and let sit overnight. The following day, scrub the rack with a wire brush and rinse clean.

Easy-Off Oven Cleaner and Glad Trash Bags. Place the grill in a Glad Trash Bag. Wearing protective eyewear and rubber gloves, spray the racks thoroughly with Easy-Off Oven Cleaner, close the bag, and secure with a twist tie. Let set for four hours in the sun. Rinse well with a garden hose.

Glad Trash Bags. When your outdoor barbecue grill cools down, cover it with a Glad Trash Bag to protect it from the elements.

Pam Cooking Spray. To make cleaning a barbecue grill easy, coat the grill with Pam Cooking Spray before barbecuing. After cooking, when the grill is cool to the touch, scrub the grill with a wire brush. The cooking oil enables baked-on food to slide off much easier.

Reynolds Wrap. To make cleaning baked-on food from a barbecue grill easier, place a sheet of Reynolds Wrap on the hot grill immediately after you finish barbecuing and close the lid. The next time you use the barbecue, peel off the foil, crumple it into a ball, and scrub the grill clean, easily removing all the burned-on food.

WD-40. To clean baked-on food from a barbecue grill, remove the grill from the barbecue, spray with WD-40, let set for five minutes, then wipe clean. Then wash thoroughly with soap and water.

Windex. To clean baked-on food from a barbecue grill, spray with Windex while the grill is still warm, then scrub with a wire brush. Let cool, then rinse well with water.

Barbecues > Igniting

Conair Pro Styler 1600. After lighting a charcoal fire in a barbecue grill, carefully use a Conair Pro Styler 1600 hair dryer set on cool to fan the flames until the charcoal briquettes catch fire.

Maxwell House Coffee. Using a can opener, remove the top and bottom of an empty Maxwell House Coffee can. Use tin snips to cut a few tabs around the bottom rim of the coffee can. Stand the can in the center of your barbecue grill, place one sheet of crumpled newspaper inside, fill the rest of the can with charcoal briquettes, add lighter fluid, and light the news paper through the punched holes. When the coals glow orange, remove the hot can with tongs and set in a safe place to let the can cool.

Tidy Cats. Prevent grease fires in barbecue grills by covering the bottom of the grill with a one-inch layer of unused Tidy Cats cat box filler.

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly. Apply a thick coat of Vaseline Petroleum Jelly to a cotton ball to start a fire in a barbecue. The cotton ball will burn for a long time.

WD-40. WD-40 works as a substitute for charcoal lighter fluid. As with lighter fluid, be sure to let the charcoal fire burn off the WD-40 before cooking food on the grill.

Barbecues > Insects

Aunt Jemima Original Syrup. Lure insects away from a barbecue by coating a few small pieces of cardboard with Aunt Jemima Original Syrup and placing them around the perimeter of the yard. Wasps and bees will be attracted to the home made flypaper instead of your guests.

Budweiser. To attract bees and wasps away from a barbecue and your guests, place open cans of Budweiser beer around the perimeter of the yard. Bees and wasps love beer. They fly into a can of beer, get drunk, and drown—which, if you’re a bee or wasp, probably isn’t a bad way to go.

Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar. To keep bees and wasps away from your barbecue, fill a large bowl with Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar and set near the table of food. By the end of the barbecue, you’ll have a bowl full of floating flies, mosquitoes, and moths.

Barbecues > Pots and Pans

Ivory Soap. To prevent barbecue soot from sticking to the bottorn of pots and pans, rub the bottoms of pots and pans with a bar of Ivory Soap before putting them over an open fire.

Reynolds Wrap. A crumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap makes an excellent pot scrubber to clean pots and pans used over a barbecue grill.